How does Neuroscience Support Education?

Grasping the intricacies of the brain, or the mind, has been
a challenge for many scientist over many years and still the exploration goes on
to delve deeper. With more money being promised for research into Dementia,
understanding how the mind works will open up more pedagogical doors to raise
attainment and self-esteem in children. It was enlightening when I realised how
the study of Neuroscience would help children understand concepts which you
previously not thought possible. It would open up my mind on what strategies to
deploy and develop.The pre-frontal cortex is an area of the brain that works
with our conscious mind. It is the last part of the brain to be fully grown and
functioning and does not reach maturity until our late teens. When you discover
its functions, it becomes confounding that children achieve such great things
so early on in their lives. The pre-frontal cortex (PFC) accounts for 4% of the brain
and is the area we most engage with. It is responsible for perception, problem
solving, decision making, goal setting, motivation, collaboration and will
power. With so many jobs, it is understandable that it tires easily; every time
it works on an idea it uses up a measurable and limited resource therefore
becoming energy hungry. It struggles holding all the pieces together so when
you plan or imagine an unknown future it takes effort. Envisaging goals and
outcomes is challenging and draining. It is also very closely related to the
limbic system which is concerned with the emotions and moods which is why it is
thought that you can consciously talk your way into a positive or negative
state. If the PFC tires then it becomes harder to focus, you become
easily distracted and will power diminishes. If achieving anything requires
will power, then by default children will not achieve. This knock on effect
will be: reduced self-esteem and eventually the child will give up and mentally
walk away from learning.The good news is that there are ways to support the PFC.
Writing things down is fundamental, if you hold all your conscious thought at
the same time it becomes stressful as you worry about forgetting. Get the ideas
out of your head either using a mind map or create a visual board. Healthy
living such as sleep, diet and exercise provide the nutrition, rest and
endorphins to refresh and give clarity of thought. Going out and trying
different forms of exercise and activities stimulates creativity. Laughing releases
a drug which makes you feel positive and therefore it will enable you to direct
your mind to think positively. Talking through ideas and plans gives space for
more ideas to manifest.Another fundamental element to support the PFC is to form a
new habit so that it moves to the unconscious mind and therefore uses up less
time and energy. Emerging science has shown that the brain is able to develop
new neural pathways throughout life and therefore different ways of thinking
and behaving. People with loss of function in brain injury and stroke victims
showed unexplained improvement in function. If that is the case then new habits
can be formed, it just takes time.Imagine that
developing a new habit is like cutting your way through the jungle, the first
time you do it is hard but the more you travel the same path the easier it
becomes. It is thought that it takes at least 25- 31 days of constant practice
to form a new habit and 6 weeks to break and create a new one. This makes it
vital that very early on teachers establish good habits.Once the habit is formed it moves to the Basal Ganglia which
is highly efficient and requires very little energy. This only happens if there
has been repetition, as practice makes permanent. Learning new skills and
concepts requires not one hit or two hits but a series of drip feeding,
visiting the new learnings using different formats to eventually embed and
create the habit.The greater our understanding of how we learn the more
likely we are to have engaged learners. Neuroscience can move us forward with
strategies to apply, not only within the class, but also within our own personal
and professional development. If we understand how we do things then we know
how to help others or how to change to become even better practitioners.Leysa
HendersonDirector, Primary Educational Consultant and Trainer of
Kreative Futures